Below is a link to a recent interview with James Patterson, and something he mentions is that getting your kids to read sometimes requires a little bit of tough love. I completely agree with this… as parents, sometimes we have to push our children into things they don’t like: asparagus, picking up their clothes from the floor, sharing with others. Now for some, we don’t have to push on these things, I know, but- we know these are important things that will make our children healthier (both body and mind).
Getting children to love reading is the same thing. I understand that not all children will be as enthusiastic about reading as others. However, if we don’t force the issue a little bit we are doing the children a huge disservice. At home, reading needs to be embedded into the day the same as brushing teeth. It should just be an expectation of the day. My ultimate goal- in the long run- is that teachers wouldn’t even have to “assign” reading everyday for homework!